


Heartless

by WhisperInTheSorrow



Series: Ironqrow works [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Happy Ending, James centered fanfic, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21774787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhisperInTheSorrow/pseuds/WhisperInTheSorrow
Summary: James was thirty when he received a call from Glynda, James was thirty when Ozpin had recruited him and filled him in the fight against Salem, James was thirty when he learned that the world was in more danger than he had thought. James was thirty when he met Qrow Branwen and wanted to shoot him with Dual Process.Soulmate au where Ironwoods family is coursed with the incapacity of feel any feeling until the find their soulmate
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Series: Ironqrow works [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1560985
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	Heartless

Being born under the Ironwoods name was, to put it simple, a curse. Not because they were a low ranks in Atlas hierarchy, which they weren’t, or because they were part of the darkest part of the society, which, again, they weren’t. No, their curse had nothing to do with status but with the heart, or better said the lack of it.  
Pauline Strawlaar had thought that the way in which Nicholas Ironwood had proposed to her after four years of courtship was, to say at least, sweet and a little dramatic. When it happened, they were at a party hosted by the Schnees to celebrate their wedding anniversary and announce the future born of their heir. It was a lovely evening where laughs flood the room, people danced across the floor and some people started a bet about the gender of the new heir. Suddenly, Nicholas had asked for attention, and when the room went silent, he started to speak while walking towards Pauline, then, when he was in front of her, he had kneeled and put a tinny blue box from his jacked.  
-Until I meet you, I couldn’t feel anything, no fear, no sadness, no happiness, no love, I was empty. - he had said- I was cursed until I meet you Pauline, the love of my life. Would you marry me?  
It was sweet and a bit dramatic, but she loved this man, the most caring man she had ever knew in her life, so the only answer she had for him was a tearful “yes”.  
It took them five months to get married and another year to finally produce an heir to the Ironwood family. Pauline was excited, she always has wanted a child of her own, and knowing that finally she could've have one had her over the moon. She always talked about how much she would play with her baby, which legends and tales she would tell them at bedtime. Her baby wasn’t even born and she already loved them.  
It broke Nicholas heart tell her the truth. One night few days after they knew they were having a baby, Nicholas took his wife to his studio to talk.  
-Do you remember when I proposed to you?  
-Of course, as if I could forget about those cheese lines you told me. –she said smiling. Even if they weren’t cheesy, she would have remembered them, after all, she had a great memory.  
-They were pretty cheese, weren’t they? –he smiled- but they were true. –he paused for a moment, sitting in front of his wife and holding her hand with care- Pauline, my love, I haven’t been completely sincere with you. My family, the Ironwoods bloodline is cursed, no one knows why, but for generations we weren’t able to feel anything, not until we found the person who is our other half, as it happened to me with you.  
-What? What are you talking about Nick?  
-It breaks my heart tell you this, but our kid won’t be able to feel, nor sadness, nor happiness, not even love, he will be an empty shell until he meets the right person.  
-Are you saying that my son would never love me?-she asked looking at Nicholas with fear and sadness painted in her eyes.  
-No, no my love, of course not, he will, but not now, not anytime soon. It’s our course being heartless. I’m sorry my love.  
Pauline expend three days crying while she assimilated the news, lying in bed with one of the plush she had done for her child, a little white rabbit with a carrot under his nose. She couldn’t believe it, she didn’t want to believe Nicholas words but, she knew they were true, her child would never love her until he found his soulmate and his heart awoke. In the end she decided that no matter what, she would love his baby and would wait patiently until the day he could love her back.  
Timothy Ironwood was born in Autum, and Pauline loved him with all her heart, Nicholas had loved him too. Even if they were difficult years, in the end, Timothy had found love in Atlas Academy, his teammate; Annie Deepforest was the one who woke his heart from his eternal slumber. The first time Tim had hugged Pauline she expended one hour crying, because finally, his child was able to feel.  
Timothy and Annie married not long before they graduated from the academy, but they waited until Tim was the right-hand man of General Springlock to have children. When Annie anunced that she was pregnant, Pauline felt joy, but also she felt fear, because she could see herself reflected in Annie, Annie who was oblivious to the fact that his child would never love her until he found his soulmate, Annie who had already started to collect every child book and every plush she could find only for her firstborn.  
-You should tell her, Tim –she had said to his son, with Nicholas right behind her.  
-I will do it mother, but not now- he had said.  
-Then when?! You have to tell her Tim, she’s already eight months pregnant, what are you waiting for? –she asked- are you waiting for her to discover it herself? For her discovering that her child would never love her?  
-This is not the right moment, it’s a risky pregnancy, I can’t tell her, she could lose the baby.  
-You have to tell her, Timothy –said Nicholas to his son- I didn’t raised a coward.  
-No, you raised a cautious man, Father, it’s my choice, I would talk to Anne once the baby is here, not sooner.  
James Ironwood born with first snow of the year, while the yard of the Ironwoods mansion began to cover with cold and beautiful white, while his mother screamed and lost a lot of blood. Annie loved him for the few minutes she was able to hold him and touch him, she loved him until she closed her eyes to never open them again. Timothy was devastated, lying on the bed, holding the corpse of his wife and crying her name, begging her to come back to him. He hated his child with his heart and soul.  
Pauline had hold James close to her chest, looking at his child while Nicholas hugged her, both loved this kid, this little baby with white skin and black hair with grey eyes. Pauline and Nicholas loved James, not only because it was their grandson, but because if they didn’t love him, no one would.  
James Ironwood didn’t have an easy childhood, he was hated by his father, Timothy couldn’t even look at him because, even if James did look like Nicholas with his raven black hair and his factions, his eyes were deep blue, just like Annie’s. Also he wasn’t like other kids, he didn’t laugh when the other kids did, he didn’t smile when his teachers praised him for being the best in class, he didn’t even cry when Nicholas died doing his job as a hunter and his body was buried at the family pantheon. He just stand there, with Pauline hand entangled with his, looking at the closed coffin with empty eyes.  
He didn’t know what was wrong with him, he knew he had a heart, he felt it in his chest, but for some reason it wasn’t working right.  
-Nana, I think I’m broken –he had said to Pauline one day while they were at the kitchen, Pauline doing her famous Winter blows while James was drawing. Pauline stopped mixing the ingredients to look at him, knowing it was time.  
-Why do you say that Jim?  
-I can’t feel anything, I mean, I feel pain if I’m physically hurt, but nothing else, I don’t feel anger or sadness, today I was supposed to be sad when the teacher told us that Pinkie had died, all my classmates cried, but I didn’t, I didn’t feel sad for Pinkie. Rain and Sunny called me heartless, and I think they were right. What’s wrong with me, nana? Why I’m broken?  
-Oh, Jimmy, nothing is wrong with…  
-Don’t lie to me nana –he’d cut her- Something is wrong. Can't you see it? I’m supposed to be angry when Sadya or Luka make fun of me for being the smartest in class, I’m supposed to be sad because father hates me or because grandpa Nick died, but I'm not, I wasn’t –he said- I’m supposed to love you nana, to love when you hug me or kiss me, I’m supposed to be happy but I’m not, I’m not even pissed right now. –He sighed- Nana, I just want to know what is wrong with me, I know it’s not my semblance but  
At that point Anne was at the edge of crying. She hugged her grandson tightly, like she wanted to protect him from all the bad in the world, trying not to cry, trying to not showing him her suffering. It was hard, she couldn’t protect him even if she wanted to.  
-You are not broken James, listen to me, you’re not broken, you’re special, just like your father was, just like Nicholas was. You’re kind, you’re smart, oh, Brothers, you’re such a wonderful kid James.  
-Nana?  
-But I’m afraid that we weren’t completely sincere with you, Brothers, Nicholas and I wanted to talk to you about this, but were expecting to Timothy to take the lead. We weren’t completely sincere with you.  
-What do you mean?  
-Jim, you’re special as I said, just like your father was, just like Nicholas, just like every Ironwood is. You have a spell upon you, do you remember our tales about cursed princess? –he nodded- You’re just like them, your heart is here James –she put her hand gently over his chest, right upon his heart as she spoke sweetly- but is sleeping.  
-Like the sleeping huntress?  
-Yes, like the sleeping huntress –she confirmed- your heart is sleeping, waiting for your true love to appear and wake it up. And then the two of you will be happy forever after, just like your grandfather and I were.  
James seemed conformed with this words, and in time he came used to the fact that he wasn’t going to have a functioning heart anytime soon, so he endured it and centered himself to preserve his career as a military huntsman for Altas, also he made himself an expert of faking some emotions, even though he was known as James Heartless Ironwood. He joined Atlas Academy at 17, and after the entrance test he was elected as the leader of team JNGL, formed by him, Nadine Rapunculus a girl with a really long hair and blue eyes that show her sweet innocence to everyone, Glinda Goodwitch a short blonde girl with glasses that wore a purple cape and a boy with long dark blue hair and red eyes called Larss Sylvertonge. They were a good team, one of the best, even Timothy Ironwood, leader of the specialists, had to admit it. James lead them with fierce, he cared about them, he knew he did, they were his friends, his teammates, they knew about his course (because in the end James has confessed to them that fact about his life) and they didn’t care.  
-I just hope you found your soulmate soon -had said Nadine with tearful eyes.  
Things went better since he joined Atlas Academy, people started to respect him, not because they were afraid of him and his looks (he was the tallest among the students and his eternal cold face caused him so much trouble) but because he was a good superior, always willing to help the new huntsmen and huntresses. But of course there were complications, like puberty and the fact that some of his teammates started to have love problems that James couldn’t help them with. He spent part of his second year chasing down a superior that wanted to date Nadine and had a really bad reputation among men and women (like hell he would have allowed that parasite near Nadine) and the other half listening Lars crying because Reda Sorg had rejected him, it wasn’t like his feelings were unrequited, Reda liked him, but she was afraid of her semblance and what that would do to their relationship. James himself had to deal with a few people that wanted to date him, everyone wanting to be the one that melted the ice heart of the heartless second year gentleman. If only they knew.  
One of the most persistent was Nerissa Eastorse, the woman his father had positioned as James fiance even if James and Pauline argued against him, he didn’t want to marry Nerissa, in fact he didn't want to marry anyone but his soulmate, what was the point of marrying someone he couldn’t love? Nerissa didn’t deserve that, he didn’t want her, he didn’t love her, she was pretty with her black hair and her icy blue eyes, but he couldn’t feel anything looking at her. The worst part was that Nerissa was obsessed with James, even if James never show any interest in her, he was more occupied being the leader of the Specialist, trying to escalate to be the future General of Atlas Academy and hanging out with his comrades.  
She almost killed him, she had once said that if he wasn’t hers, he won’t be for anyone. He should have taken her seriously. She was the secretary of the General, she was the one that gave them the wrong information for their mission.  
Nadine died in James arms, and a few hours later, when they were surrounded by a pack of Ursas, James lost half of his body protecting Glynda for being devoured by one of those big Grimms. It was just luck that Reda’s team was in the area, without Saskya healing semblance that prevented him for dying and Iria semblance that make her able to teleport, he would have died for sure.  
He should have been sad for Nadine’s death, she had died in his arms by blood loss while he whispered sweet words to her, while he held her knowing that no one could do anything for her, he should have been angry at Nerissa for lying to them, for sending them to that suicidal mission, he should have been furious when he learned that behind that order was his father who tried to get rid of him. He should have been horrified when he discovered that the right half of his body had been replaced by shiny metal parts while Pauline did her best effort to not cry in front of his new body. But he wasn’t, he was still heartless, he was still cursed.  
Years passed, Larss and Reda finally become a thing with some problems because Larss parents didn’t want Reda to be part of their family, Glynda went to Beacon as a teacher to help Ozpin and James was chosen by the General to be his successor once he retired, Pauline was proud of him. But as the years passed and James entered in his early thirties, he started to think that he would never find his soulmate, that he would never feel anything, and sometimes he even thought about what would his soulmate say when them discovered that he was half metal. He had a few nightstands but everyone of them had run when they were getting intimate and his prosthetics were visible. Maybe he was meant to not be loved. 

But then fate decided to act. 

James was thirty when he received a call from Glynda, James was thirty when Ozpin had recruited him and filled him in the fight against Salem, James was thirty when he learned that the world was in more danger than he had thought. James was thirty when he met Qrow Branwen and wanted to shoot him with Dual Process.

The reunion when he had met Qrow was a normal one. Ozpin, with Glynda next to him, was explaining to James and the other two headmasters, Theodore and Leonardo, about the relics and the maidens when the door of the elevator suddenly opened, and James saw one of the most gorgeous man he ever saw. He was shorter than him, and slim, his hair was black and his eyes, which James thought were impossible, were red.  
-oh, Qrow, you finally decided to join us -had said Ozpin with a smile.

-yeah, well is good to see that all of you are still alive and we had a new recruit.-his voice was rusky, and his tone sarcastic, his red eyes were fixed in James blue ones, and he was smileing.

Ozpin resumed the meeting while James stared at Qrow without knowing why. At the end of the meeting, while the other three headmasters headed flor a coffee, James was left behind to talk with Glynda, the last time they saw eachother was after Nadine's funeral, so they needed to chat a little, their conversation went about how Larss was planning to marry Reda and freaking out because of that when Qrow decided to talk.

-so, you are the heartless General that i've been told about.

James looked at him so fast that all his wrenches in the neck sounded. Qrow was next to him, smiling arrogant and oh, Brothers, James wanted to kill him for calling him Heartless. Even if he knew that it was true.

-Don't call me that-he said dangerously.

-What? General or Heartless?

-You know what you ….are you drunk?!-he exclaimed after smelling the scence of whiskey coming from Qrow 

-He is always drunk.-said Glynda looking at James 

-That's inappropriate.

-Not everyone is meant to be appropriate Heartless.

-No some people are meant to be drunk and annoying.

-James -tried to call Glynda realising something.

-ouch, that hurt me. You hurt me General Heartless.

-Is Ironwood you freaking prick!

-JAMES! 

-WHAT?! -He screamed at the top of his lungs, feeling something in his chest, wait, feeling something. He looked at his chest and put a hand over it, then he looked at Qrow who was watching him. James panicked- no, nononononono

-What is happening?- Qrow asked seeing how James started to panik.

-something no one expected to happen -said Glynda reaching James- James, wait.

-it wasn't supposed to be like this -he said to Glynda- I found him and my first emotion towards him is anger, can you believe it?! -he pointed out at Qrow who looked lost- only me have that bar luck

-hey, man, care to share with the class?

-Shuts up Qrow- said Glynda- James, I know that this isn't what you wanted, I mean, I know you Grandma said that you'll feel love and that, but you're feeling, even if it's anger. 

-Im feeling.

-Yes.

-Oh brothers, Im feeling Glynda - he said taking her in his arms- I can feel happiness being with you, and if I think about Larss and, oh, Dust, I even feel sad about Nadine.

-Im lost -said Qrow looking at them like they were crazy.

James put Glynda on the floor and walked towards Qrow with a smile, his anger quickly faded and substituted by happiness and gratitude. 

-Thank you, my lucky bird -he had said before, in the spirit of the moment, kiss Qrow until they needed air.  
He could feel, finally.

/)/)/)/)/)//)/)/

Qrow was, to say at least, nervous, it had been nearly ten years after that kiss that propiced everything between him and the General, ten years of shared happiness, sadness, ten years full drunk memories, hurt, screams, and recriminations, ten years full of sweet memories, happiness, sweet words and love. Ten years that were really special to him.

-Are you ready? -asked James standing in front of the door of that big mansion that was Ironwoods house when he wasn't at the Academy.

-No, but I'll never be

-Nana has been waiting to meet you for ten years.

-Yeah, well I didn't want her to see me as the human garbage I was 

-Ey, you're none of that, my lucky bid -said James hugging him- you're amazing. You always be. And Nana is going to love you no matter what.

-are you sure about that?

-Of course Im sure, after all, you're the one that woke up my heart. 

James looked at Qrow at that moment, his cheeks were flustered, he was avoiding looking at him, and one of his feet was tapping into the floor. He was nervous. James, gently took his hand with his and elevated it until he could kiss it easily.

-Before you, there were nothing to me, I couldn't feel anything, no anger, no sadness, no happiness, no love, I was empty, but you came and, even if it was anger what I felt first, you thought me other feelings to, you make me feel alive Qrow. So don't be afraid, Pauline will accept you as my husband, she already has.

And Qrow knew he had to believe him. In the end, James was right, Pauline loved Qrow, the old lady hugged the bird with tears in her eyes, and while she thanked him, holding him between his arms, James knew that no matter what was upon them, the feeling of happiness he had at that moment would never disappear.


End file.
